THE Iesuites being a new kinde of Sacrificers, and of mystery mun­gers: first in our age at Venice, of a certaine Spaniard a souldier (in­riched with rapine and spoyles, without any religious restitution made of his wronges done) they tooke their off-spring. And they of that Pope Paulus the fourth were well approued, be­ing apparantly worthy of such an Author: And therefore nothing deseruing the sir-name of our Sauiour Iesus, be­cause they being male-content with the common com­mendable name of the Christians, doe vsurpe the tytle of Iesuites. Too much are they fruitefull and multiplying in our soyle of Germanie: But God wot only for the rooting out (as the swine vse) of the Cockle from the Corne, the very Tares and Darnell of all Heresies. And so to reduce wandring sheepe, wauering and lost into the soule and lap of theyr Mother Church. That no where but many of them are prepared and bent, that as soone as of one or an other forerunner any denne or starting hole is praeoccupi­ed, by and by all the residue flocke thyther.

A certaine Prince of ours did therefore nothing fondly after this manner iesting terme Iesuits, or rather as other [Page] men after their deserts fitlie terme them Esauites: resem­ble them vnto those lice which of a secret part of the body they vse to offend, were called for their offence inginuals or Crab-lice, of which kinde euen of one, there remaining presently innumerable propagation & multitudes of issue are stirring: a fit comparison for such a flocke. And not vnlike he did compare them vnto a game at Cardes in the which the gamsters like Loadam play, and bring them foorth last, that are of most price, to beate downe the ad­uerse party: or like the Ase of Harts at Mawe (the game is called with vs Kumstich). So the Pope with his fiue fin­gers, the Iesuites now at last when all is gone in Germany, sending foorth his craftes-masters of Embassage, vnto the [...] late lost authority heere, thinketh eyther to recouer the game, or to saue the residue in his deuilish hand, I name thē Sacrificers, although this their owne words, as they signi­fie by the expurgatory index, and booke of reprehension, they would else where to be now left out, affecting rather as Lords to heare themselues exalted to the societie of Iesus. But I was about to name them Monkies, saue that is vnproper, yet Monkes, such as Franciscanes or other or­ders of the beggers, are called vnaptly Monkes, when they vse nothing else but onely a Imgring life in frequent and rich Citties, where the profit of vagrants is fruitefull, there they make their nestes neere to some Granar, like to mice or rattes: vt prodat seipsum sores: yet they differ from Franciscanes not onely in vesture or garment, shauing of their head, and in other apparrell of the body, lesse absurde and monstrous, and lesse enuied, and in hatred lesse abho­minable, euen with the commons of our land. But also in this, that wheras they at mens dores by exacting of their re­ward, and by parcel [...]ea peece [...], require their bodily susti­nance, the Iesuites more stately in Bishoppricke and Ab­bies, rich and well regarded, do spend their dayes, and doe receiue from thence by large summes, their whole pre­bents o [...] maintenance, the Franciscanes for this their beg­gerly [Page] life, they are ra [...]her lesse acceptable in neighborhood & Scholler-ship, to the Bishops and Abots, and to those number of Princes which are too too much obs [...]quious and faithfull to their Sanctificed Father. I feare me they would it were to the detriment and vtter loosing and per­nition of our Country and vs. Not alone, for that part that dependeth and to pure & innocent religion belongeth, the which they no lesse then Esauites, murderers of Martirs, wish to be oppressed, nay wish to be extinguished, yea with al that part that belongeth vnto our Politique State & go­uernment, of which these Sinones are triers and betraiers, o­penly bewraying their bad cause, & secretly betraying our good, vnto their Italianates & other strangers vnto vs, by reason of our rites of Ecclesiasticall gouernment & amend­ment, & our abiectment & reiectment of al their pontifical monarchy & yoke, for their attention & intention, to reco­uer v [...] vnto their pristine & olde state of gouernment cal­led now Tyranny. Most like are those Esauites, if not more like vnto those cowled and whooded beggers in one thing, for that pressing themselues into the Courtes of our Princes: yea & into the nurcery too, they obserue, harken [...]. out & require to know what counsell is in handling what matters are one foot that so their news to their betters may strike a stroke in Princes mariages, may moderate the elec­tions of Bishops & Abots, & may disigne in the common wealths as yet Popish, both consuls & other Magistrates, with their priuy perswasions, & secret in [...]tinct of nature. To this purpose, they propose their venemous & secret insinu­ation into the familiarity of the chiefest of those Citties by whom they may vndermine the secrets of their gouernmēt, which knowne (if it be knowne worthy) they signifie it to their great Masters & Lords. Vnto which pollicy of fishing, fowling & bunting after mens secrets, noe one engine and wile doth more fit then confession, which we call auricular or rather occular, al witnes y^t may be, which vnto this vse so [Page] like a bayte they retayne and defende it, and to be so neces­sary for all Christians, as they are for their Mystagoge and [...]. Prince of Sacrificers, who in the beginning haue sworne to doe it to them. And furthermore whether in chastitye they doe praeexcell these poore Whood-men or no, it may bee doubted (not without cause) sauing that some­times at the Alter, whiles they missifie themselues and o­thers with the Masse, whiles they preach in the Pulpet, whiles they teach in the chaire, then they appeare to al men to be continent.

And moreouer if it be a braunch of chastity, voluntarily to sweare and vow a single life against God and nature, and euery man not to haue his owne wife, who then dare deny these Esauites truely to obserue chastimony? O but so ma­ny societies, so flourishing a multitude of youth, of liuely youth, securely, finely, want only liuing: which one, may meete so neate, so faire, as if they were brides, so vegitatiue, with such a habit of strength, as if they were Champions▪ such shall we say purely to leade singlenesse of life? hard­ly will it be beleeued of any who know the stimulation, (will say tis simulation) who know the force of inhumane nature vnto generation, to bee diuinely inuested in them, as all things else, will they thinke, will they vnderstand it? For note what flagitious and prodigious, and wretched lust was re [...]ealed in the Colledges of Priestes, in the den [...]es of Munkes, vnder a pretext of continencie vttered: shall wee not now thinke they wrestle as weakely with their insu­perable nature? In our owne Country of Germany, in Eng­land, in Denmark [...] and other places, where they were look­ed into, espied and meritoriously abolished, it is a thing so [...]ryed to be true in them, so notified that there neede no more words to proue it.

Neyther is it enough for these new Hypocrites to cloke themselues with this simuled and false chastety, and by it to sell themselues away in vaine ostentation vnto the foo­lish [Page] credulous vulgar people. But not content with this, they defraude the Ministers of the reformed Churches, proudely and disdainefully, of their good names, as if they were incontinent and effeminate with their owne wiues, terming their children bastardes, because they fearing God doe yeelde to nature, the handy-worke of our good God obeying it in chaste matrimony, liuing married, (a remedy for that onely sinne, and an onely remedy for that sin of lust) and doe beget issue, and doe well bring them vp, and take care for their familyes, and for the most part do with great difficulty, care for them, and doe tolerate the matter with godly sorrow, while they without all oecononicall and housholde griefe of minde, or molestation of life in the commodities thereof, (without all discommodity) liue in abundance of pleasures, delicacy & rioteousnes: Whence it is that necessarily must ensue (a consequent of time) that they acte these things warily and couertly, vntill time reuealing all thinges, doth also bring to open light and open shame, their misdeedes, euen as already with vs the filthy and vnciuil lustes of the Monkes, are at such a height gone vp, that they appeare to all men: wherevpon late fame of two in Polonia being Esauites, it is deliuered to vs that one of them hath brought forth a childe in their walkes: many neuer suspecting it, yea many maleuolent and back-biting our religion, haue thought it very agreea­ble, and recounting the condition of such a society of two and no more, and remembring the like euentes in the Monkes, especially in wandring runagates, & land-leapers with their beggery, haue graunted it might be true: Ney­ther, yet is this rumour supplanted out of all mens mindes there from suspition: albeit by the Kinges owne edict, it was forbidden, any such wicked euent to be misdeemed of two so holy Fathers. But thought they say is free. As per­haps neyther doth this seeme a fable altogether vaine, nor can many bee so easily disswaded from that was said [Page] lately to be seene in the towne of N. in a certaine Canoni­call house of a Canon there, A Iesuite was gining her child suck [...].

These men do imitatethe Esauites, these former Munks in this thing also, that with no lesse happinesse then dilli­gence, they allure younglings, young men, ingenious, swift and full of speeche, and many (in good time) not defor­med, but want on Gammedes, and prophane Iones cup-bea­rer (procul a phano) they know what secrets I meane, and also some more fortunate, by whom to the society of poore Iesus much profit may rise, by their institution and nurte­ring of such, borne as it were desastrouse, they intise them into the cod of their net, by the which a perpetuall Semi­narie is supplyed, increasing with old men & their merits, and the merits of them dead succeeding others. For the institution of their Seminarie and discipline they are to be praised, for that diligentlye they instruct them in the tongues, and in Artes (but that onely in the seauen liberall Sciences): More were they to be praised, if they did it to instruction, and sinceritie, and pietie, to the defence and conseruation of the kingdome of Christ and his glory, not vnto Antichrists Idols and tyrannie, to be strengthned and confirmed on their side for profit and honors sake. SuchMundum pellectum. For Pellicio is with blandish­ment to intice, therefore the whore of Ba­bilon is called pellex quasi [...]. A Gel. lib. 4. c. 3. are these and all other their deeds, full of guile and fraude, full of their trecheries, onely right and well tending, that with the shape of this good, which is altogether great in approoued gouernment and right discipline, they may by little and little accustome the worlde (harlot like inticed) vnto them, and once againe vnto the pontificall Maiestie, and to his worship. Meane while what do they? they in­due the tender mindes of the youth of the pontificalitie, it is of corrupt religious doctrine, and corrupt loue, with hate and apostacie, of vtter forsaking of plaine and sincere truthe, which neuer after they vnlearne nor leaue: for what then thinke you of such men not feined nor coloured [Page] can be performed, who in so great and daylye a light of Christianitie already restored vnto vs (notwithstanding) employ their diligence to darkenesse: all their wits, yea and all their erudicion, indeuouring to defend the same, who in so manifest deprehending, yea and open detecting of the high Priests of Rome, of their houshould, and all their clients, of their sliding backe, apostacie, and fraudu­lent religion, shrouded vnder foyson of truthe, a tinfoile of deceit, practised against the people of so many ages, notwithstanding, they would defend themselues to be men, and men for all this, good and holy, the standard bea­rers of pietie, and most worthy too, vnto whose trayning, whose prescript order, men that are men indeed, must obey: thus they perswade the vnskilfull and fatuate com­mons to beleeue.

This verily is the indeuour of the sodalitie, the felow­ship of Esau, and of others his fellow seruants, more then diuelish, by which no more worthy nor efficient waye to depraue or ouerthrowe the doctrine of the church, could be premeditate and vsurped, because they not onely call in question, degrading certaine of the latter writers, such as Stapulensis, Erasmus, Polydorus, Capino, Caspiniarus, and others, these sometimes not reuerently reporting (like men of better note) against their pontificall and the wildes, ty­rannie, pride, disdaine, and riot of their Prriests. And not resting there but in all vnrest and disquiet, they would musle vp the mouthes of the auncient Fathers, being the better sorte of the interpreters of the holy Scriptures. And because they are wholie against their pontificall opinions and Monarchie (of which these knaues the Esauites pub­lish themselues in profession, to be the very Atlas and Axell-tree to vpholde all) in our age in a manner their Bookes haue beene Printed after the ouldest examplar in written hand, sought foorth, perused, and with the most noble diligence and incredible labour of Erasmus [Page] and others, most learned men, renewed from their defects, repurged of the written faultes by their side committed, and thereupon Imprinted at Basile, and else where faithfully and truly, both Augustine, Ierome, Cyprian, Hillarie, Irenae­us, Chrysostome, and others, whose names they haue not sig­ned in the booke of life, but in their expurgato [...]ie Index, their censure of the whole world, most perfidously, wic­kedly, heinoussie, and all vngodly: some of these bookes they may me like a headl [...]sse trunke or stocke, some they depraue, some they increase, some they decrease, euen a­greeable for their owne purpose as they please. And these by their owne types and formes, their owne Printers by the mandate of their Prince of the Apostles, and by the vnder commaundement of other Princes, footmen to the Prince of Rome, Pages to the pontificals, they empresse and set them foorth, intending guile, foule fraude, and sacriledge, to all the Christians, both present and in future time here­after, and that onely to recouer and vpholde the stature of the Idoll and of their Lorde God the Popes authoritie, power, and his grace. Which vsurpation of theirs, both by the Apostles owne writings (which I feare me in time they will also s [...]t vpon to corrupt too) and by the Fathers auncient monuments, are oppugned, are slided from their first creation, in as much that they may see themselues ouerthrowne both horse and foote. O worthilie worthy, that for this so great wretchednesse, wickednesse, and sa­criledge,Scala Gemonia were the sleds for the dam­ned in Rome. Cor. Tacit [...]. they lay in A­uentine, in the thirteenth [...]e▪ gion of the Citie. of vs Christian people to be stoned to death, but more▪ in a more feeling fashion, is the maister of them An­resignanus worthy to be dragged a long Rome on the Ge­montan sled. And thus by reason of these capitall fals [...]ries the Esauites both Bishops, Abbots, yea and the Princes of our prouince [...], pluck downe to ruine noble and riche hou­ses▪ vnbuilde them, to feede these with the fattest and fa [...]rest Prebends: and thus they nourish that serpent Coluber in their owne bosomes.

[Page]Therefore to conclude them▪ behold, behold, I beseeche you, and lend an eare too, with what studie and industrie Parasites execute their office, affirming by demonstration (the best argument that is) on euery side, by all meanes and wayes, their absolute and perfect sanctimony and ho­linesse, the inuiolable maiestie of their Lorde: insulting and singing according to the Prouerbe Canentes vernacu­lum, Canentes Ver­naculum. that, Chansowne, Chansowne, of whom they are fed. And they dare too denie a trueth, confidently, impu­dently being compelled therevnto, as it were infolded in grauell, with the arguments of the storie, the veritie▪ wher­of almost for the space of this eight hundred yeares, euen in the Pontificall kingdome (in Rome) was neuer doubt made, or disputation of controuersie of any man offered before, but that all the libraries with one concent with one voice speaking, affirmed the faith of that historie. Now at last and at least forsooth, it is called in question,Vile Theatrum eat pessum Cortina lebes­cat: Senica nunc Comus cesses adulte­ria. [...] Deus panim: pro papa. brought vnder doubt by adulatory Parasites, sithe they perceiue the person, and the adored maiestie, to be despect and despised, and amongst many other matters, their own curtaine and vilde theater set open, & the storie to be pen­ned and plaied, stirred vp and preferred more liberall of late then euer before And marke the storie followeth.

About the yeare of our Sauiour Christ 855. Lotharius being Emperour, the sonne of Lewes called Pius▪ it happe­ned to the holy sacred, and sacred holy Catholique and A­postolique See of Rome, to the Columnes pillers & stan­derd bearers, to the hinges & Cardinals (if so be there were any hinges to their doores or cardinals at that time) that their holy spirit, who in all their counsels is present euer, absent neuer, so as to erre, to be deceiued, to slide in any matter, they say of themselues they cannot, in some enor­mitie their spright serued them, deceiuing thēselues, whe­ther of ignorance or of purpose, or busied about other mat­ters of more import, he suffered them in their creation and [Page] consecration of a new high Priest, inwardly, outwardlye and most ridiculously to erre, and to be shamefully decei­ued, in choosing without any discretion of sex a female Pope insteed of a male. For Leo the fourth being decea­sed, an Aedile and quaestor very industrious, (the Consulta­tion for a successor being propounded) there was conuer­sing at Rome, one as it appeared, not one but two, a cer­taine yong man a Germaine borne at Mens, named Iohn English in Scholes, in some places and withall in Greece brought vp in erudicion. He or she, in wit, doctrine, elo­quence, manners, habite, and comlinesse of body, to be ad­mired at: at a worde, such an one, that the Primates and chiefe men there in Rome were beneuolent auditors, and did heare her in certaine Scholes where she red, there: and by their endeuours and sentence, she was preferred to the sacred Senate, designed and made a woman high Priest, in the steed of a man: so many prudent perspicuous sages, so many eyes and noses being by, yea without any admoni­shing of their holy spirit, so as they know not the womans sex from the mans, no not by a beard, which though it had beene rased after their owne fashion, yet me thinkes the stubbes should appeare, no not by voyce and other notes and tokens hidden and vnknowne. At last the fallacie was bewrayed in this plaine euent. In that her delicacie of licence to do what she list, lasciuious nature admitted into her embracing, eyther a Cardinall or some meaner man more familiarly, by whom she was begotten with childe. When her time was almost expired, & her next neighbour the birth day was at her hand, so imprudently as a Heigh­fer not expert in her first calfe, on the day of their litamie and Procession (as they call it) she walked foorth, & falling down in the very publique walke amongst the whole rou [...], (beli [...]e expressing her estate, they left her for [...]orne) there with dolor and paine, she brought foorth her first begot­ten, and so in the child-birthe they both perished.

[Page]This story the Esauites contend against, & would haue it to be a fablement, and so many of integrity, graue writers in whose consenets and momoments, it is expressly red, they reprooue so vnreuerently, so arrogantly, both of va­nitie and falshood, and that not for t [...]nthes sake and affir­mation thereof, so much as for that, wheresoeuer any thing maketh against them, they doe adultera [...]e or suppresse it, (as I shewed before). But this is because they would wash away the blot, and guilde their worthlesse copper (Pope) from this crime, in this our latter age reiect, and throwen into despect, and ignominie for their Romane Hierarchie, the foundation wherof in perpetuitie, euen from this time vnto the succession of Don Petre: (for Peter himselfe was neuer at Roome) they would scite and deriue it: which rope of sande made like a chayne broken, by reason of this woe to man, dolefully they brooke it, being desirous to haue it to remaine in integritie, linked with their petty degree.

In former times, bookes of such Histories were red of [...]. Of the triple Crowne. fewe, and they that might read them, they in honour and grace of the Triple Crowne, of the Viccar of God, vpon the earth did dissemble them, and retaine them in silence, as a thing too shamefull, not onely euill but absurde, and [...]. to his estimation and glory, a great detriment: now the Esauites vnto whom as vnto triers or olde souldiers of theTrianios. rereward, the sum in grosse of regaining and reuenging from all vice and fault, the Maiestie Pontific [...]ll at this day is deliuered, will perswade vs with their loquence that this is a fiction, and that no such thing could be. Albe­it vpon the matter, there i [...] no great moment in it, whe­ther it bee a fable or a veriety, of this Pontificall andPuer perium. Great-belly [...] yet to expresse in this pageant, their harlots foreheads, and the whoores faces of these Parasites, and how much in other great matters they are to be beleeued, and trusted vnto, and that men may be warned and armed, [Page] the more from their frawde, I will with Gods helpe, truely repeate the breuitie of Historio-Graphers, as many certaine as haue beene seene of me, their testimonies, the mat­ter in fact (not a fiction) and affirmed, and confirmed by them, which being red, let any stoute and iust arbitrator censure, whether more faith and credite, is not to bee a­scribed vnto the tradition (old and concenting together) of so manie excellent men in pietie and integritie, or ra­ther vnto the deniall, new and neuer heard of before, of a fewe fresh Hipocrites and Gnathos, denying what they lust, and affirming what they lust, in fauour of their owne Maister. Of al that truly are read of the men of our time (asRadal. Flaui­ens, by y^e course of nature, might bee at it, & so [...], they re fer his age vnto 930. the fact was done 75. yeares before hee dyed, if this reference bee true in 855. I suppose) the most ancient writer of this Feminine Lord, is olde Raphe Flaniencis, a benedictine Monke, alleadged in the centuries of the Ecclesiasticall Historie, and whom Trithemius termeth a briefe Cronicle, which the Authors of the Centuries name Polycronicon, they say that he writ it, referring his age vnto the yeare of our Lord 930. my selfe haue not yet obtained the reading of it: but they scite the fifth booke of Radulphe, Chapter the 32.

To produce the first that I haue red, I haue Marianus after his natiue country sirnamed Scotus, whose honestie and veritie by this may be esteemed, that the fellowship of the Benedictines, both Cullin, Fulda. & Mons receiued him, and striuing with entertainement, at his first com­ming into Germany, where he dyed Anno Domini, 1086. He in the third booke in the sixt age of his Cronicle: in fewe words sheweth the matter to be so igno [...]inious, and espe­cially in that time, not to be ripped vp▪ nor heaped vp­on: yet of all faithfull Historiographers not to be pre [...]ermit­ted neyther, in briefe, he saith thus. In the yeare of Lo­tharius the 14. the woman Ione succeeded L [...], for two yeeres, fiue monthes and foure daies. This testimony of Martine, the Esauites doe eleuate and make light of, be­cause in their manuscript bookes it is not extant. But [Page] with what face can these falsaries require, that in this mat­ter or manner, can trust be giuen to them? who themselues in describing, omit what they lust, and thinges that other men write, some they eate out, and some they blot out. The Coppy which the Printer of Basile did imitate came foorth of the Librarie of the Colledge of Saint Barthol­mewes in the Citty of Frankeford, by the commandement of the Bishop of Mens, in which exemplare, these words (which they deny to be in their coppy) were found cōtex­ed. With like fidelity, they denie this story also to be foundI remember I haue seene this in Sigisb. Gem­bl. 1. Milo Smith a famous Doc­tor, shewed me the booke prin­ted at Paris. Nor am I igno­rant that Bel­larmine answe­reth in ipsius Si gisberti, [...] non inne­ [...]itur: but without witnes that it is Sigisb. owne hande, written now a­boue 500. yeres saue onely on Iohn Molane lately liuing Doctor of Lo­uane who it may be pluckt out the leafe: now is ready to sweare with Beilar. that it is not in the first coppy, and that they knewe Sigisb. owne hand 500. yeeres since written: it were a mira­cle if they suf [...]er any coppy, now to remaine in their Territoryes much lesse in their Li­be [...]ties, therefore I beleeue Bellar. and Mollane both in this. in a certaine olde booke of Cronicles of Sigisbert▪ a Monke, which in all other his bookes are expressed, and are to bee read in this manner. Fame reporteth that this Iohn was a woman, and knowen familiar to some one onely, who it seemed imbraced her, being great with childe, she was deliuered being Pope. Wherefore some doe not number her amongst the High priestes: There­fore he maketh no number of that name. Sigisbert liued in the time of Henry the fourth, about the yeere of our Lord God, 1110.

I finde next vnto Sigisbert Martine sirnamed of Polone a Monke, of the order of Preachers, penitentiarie vnto Pope Nicholas the third: after Archbishop of Consentin [...], at the yeare of our Lord 1320, whose Narration of Iohn the Pope, is this, Iohn English, borne at Mens, sate in the Seate two yeares and fiue months he dyed at Rome, and all the offices were void thē for one month. This Iohn as it is affir­med was a woman. And when in her childhood of a cer­taine louer of hirs, shee was brought to Athens in mans apparrell, she did so profit in diuers Sciences, that no one was found to bee comparable vnto her, in so much that afterwardes shee reading at Roome openly, obtayned great Masters to be her schollers. And then in the Citty she [Page] being of great fame by her conuersation and science, by counsell of them all, she was chosen to be Pope: But in the Papall seate by her familiar friend, shee became preg­nant with childe, yet vnskilfull of the time that women recon for their birth-right: when shee was tending her iourney from Saint Peters vnto Lateran [...] (the Popes Pal­lace) being inuironed betwixt the Colossis and Saint Cle­ments Church, she fell in labour, and was deliuered, and af­terward when she was dead, she was buried there, as it is said in the Colossis.

Now because that my Lord the Pope, dooth alwaies shunne that place, that way: it is beleeued on all sides that he doth it for detestation, and hate of that fact. Ney­ther is it put into the Catelogue of the holy high Priestes, as well for the sex of her womanhood, as for the deformi­ty of so fowle a deede. These same wordes wholy in a manner are to be red in the booke of Richard the Monke of Cluniacens, the tytle whereof is, The number of the, Romane high-priestes, which is kept in the Librarie. Which words a man very honest certainely tolde vnto vs, that he saw them at that place written (being there) a­bout sixteene yeere agoe. Richard was before Martine, and was his antecessor a hundred and fifty yeares, vpon Trithemius report.

This same expresse and so cleare a narration of Martine, the Popes owne penitenciary, which office is not a little credite among these vaine Paper-puffed men, in which he behaued himselfe so, that for his reward, he was indued with an Archbishopricke, by the which no body could be more certaine of the Actes and Histories of the high Priestes then he might. And yet these Esauites (chiefly Bellarmine) do enuic still-that before Martine Polone, not [...]ne betraied, this to the memory. But haue you not mark­ed how both Sigebert, Mariane, Radulphe, and Richard were all before him: yea and many more out of whome [Page] he but gathered these and other things too, as hee him­selfe in the Proaeme, beginning his Chronicle doth well signifie? And besides that Mariane in the verie entry of his worke doth rehearse, out of whose monuments hee heaped vp this story, who were eyther all of them inter­red then, or else done to dust some where, or being dead, they were dismembred and lay hid, not any aliue. But if it were true that Martine was the first that euer commaun­ded this to writing, shall we therefore thinke it to be a fa­ble? Many thinges certes in stories both diuine and pro­phane we read of, the which their owne Authors hauing heard it of olde men, their elders and betters, did first be­fore any others comprehend it in writing.

And should we therefore doubt in ambiguitie of the truth of all these writers and matters? Anastasins the keep­er of the Librarie (they alleadge with others) in that same time suruiuers being Chroniclers, doe make no mention of Ione the woman High-priest. As though all men wish­ed it, and as if no man, in his secret opinion and iudg­ment, could thinke it a thing so vnworthy of the Pontifi­call seate (euen at which themselues blushed) but would not be content to passe it to the sinke of obliuion in si­lence, to all posterity, slumber, and funerall, of such a fact. As touching certaine Greeke writers Zonaras and others, that they did decline (as the Esauites suppose) from their institute purpose, and that it was proposed by them on­ly to handle the matters of theyr owne Emperours and Churches, and not of the Romane High-priestes, and for their hatred this cause of shame they opened. O but doth not Leonicus Chal [...]condilas an Athenian in the sixt booke of his Demonstration of Histories, rehearse the manner and rites of the electing and proouing of a new High-priest? [...]. &c. [...]. That is, they place him who is chosen vpon a sell ha­uing an open hole, by which his golden fleeces, hanging [Page] downe, of some one deputie to this office, they are hand­led, that it may be knowne whether he is a man: for they perceiue that in times past, a woman crept into the See of Rome because her sex was not discerned, (and therefore al­most ouer all Italie and the westerne regions, the men doe apparentlie shaue their berdes.) And when she was great bellied, shee was going to a certaine sacrifice, and there [...]. brought foorth her infant in the view of the people, wherevpon for sure knowledge, and no doubt, they handle the manly parts and he that feeleth, cryeth alowd: A man is our Master. And now I will not alledge that their argument of authoritie, brought in negatiuelie,Ab authorita­te negatiue. and so drawne foorth (according to the Logicians) is no­thing worthe. As for example, if you reason thus: Frisin­gensis & Vribergensis, who then liued, did neuer remem­ber vs of that inhumane▪ and more then Scythian insulte and reuenge of Alexander the third, in which he spurned Frecoricke the first Emperour of that name, prostrate be­fore his feete, exclaiming in the troope to a circumstance of his flatterers, the Psalme: Thou shalt make thy perambu­lation vpon aspes & Basiliscus, &c. Ergo, they that did write of this doe make a lye: a s [...]und argument.

An other obiection of Bellarmine is, that the writers of this storie differ amongst themselues whether she were borne in England or at Mens. Alas alas Martine dooth not so write as they cauill, that England was her natiueVocatus de Anglia As many men are called Iohn French, Iohn Holland, Iohn Ireland. that neuer were in any of these Nations, much lesse borne there. countrie, but that shee was syrnamed of England, being borne at Mens, Iohannes Anglicus, nati [...]e Moguntmus, and not as Bellarm [...]ne placeth the Comma, and calleth▪ Martine a simple man, Iohannes Anglicus natione, Mogun­tmus: and saith Martine knew not whether Mens were in England or in Germanie, a friuolous excuse. But this thing, Iacobus Curi [...] Hosemius sometimes Phisition [...]nto Alv [...] Bishop of Mens and Cardinall, in his Chronicle he confirmeth [...] saying. After that the Saxons were [Page] ouercome by Charles the great, and reduced to Christiani­tie, there came out of England vnto Germanie, men lear­ned, for propagation of religions sake, and amongst them the Father with the mother, great with childe of this woman: being banished, brought foorth this daughter of hers at Mens, and named her Gilberta. And thence it commeth that she was syrnamed of England. And I pray you what maruaile were it, if a matter [...]o prodigious and hideous should be tolde of some one waie, and of some an other waie, of which the true men would set forward trueth, and lyers would eyther conceale the trueth, or depraue it?

They obiect that at Athens then was no studie of lear­ning and Philosophie, they prooue it out of an Epistle ofCardinall Bellarmine saith very ill: Ne vestigium quidem litera­rum in t [...]ta Gracia. Synesius, who went the ther in the time of Theodosius the yonger, when there he found no Schooles. But Synesius doth not write that he found altogether none, not a flock, nor a heare, but not a handibredth, not eyght ounces or inches of learning, & that he found not such store there as he thought he should haue found. There were also then Colledges of Docters and Schollers, yea in other neighbor cities of Greece, at Thessalonica and Constantinople, where the studious, whom the fame and former opinion of great Athens conceiued, had deceiued, might very well bestow themselues.

Obiection: The high Priests at that time did not dwell in Vaticane but in Latherane! what doth this hinder it, but that Martine should declare a trueth? He dooth not say, that the High priest went foo [...]h in Procession from his pa­lace Vaticane vnto Latherane, but frō S Peters, whose house then was there, without all controuersie, or I am fowly de­ceiued. From that house returning in his pompe, groned as mountains do, & brought forth a Mowse. It doth seeme to these wandering Esauites, that Martine was a most simple man, [...] one that writ many other fables: it dooth seeme to vs the contrarie, that he was a man of a noble stomacke, [Page] and true harted, not any fable [...], for else his Chronicles would not haue been written out into so many examplars and manuscripts, before any Printers were euer borne, in so much that in all the best instructed Libraries it might haue beene found. And then our videtur is so much the more auaileable then their videtur, for because whatsoe­uer maketh against them, that, they contempteously and scoffingly with a nose of Simon, and crooke backed, are wont to mocke at, when with reasons they cannot con­fute it.

There is another Martine of the family of the Minorits, in his Chronicle to which hee giueth tytle. The floures of time, pertaining euen till Charles the fourths time, that re­porteth the same of Ione, adding this also, that she adiuring a certaine man possessed with a Deuill, demaunded when the deuill would depart, vnto whom the euill spirit ver [...]i­fying, answered.

I haue seene this Chronicle in written hand in Latine, and in the Germaine tongue, with types Imprinted at Ulmes in the yeere 1486. This notable woman (perhaps) esteemed that it would come to passe, that the very deuils and all, would be obsequious and obedient, to giue place to her, indeed as to a familiar, and well deseruing fauorite and minion of theirs. For as it is said, she writ a Booke of Necromancie, of the power and strength of deuils.

Francis Petrarch a man on euery side chiefe, I suppose they will not deny him to be of so sound iudgement, that betweene a fable and a history, he knew well enough how to discerne, and to be of such grauity and vprightnes, that [Page] what he had suspected to be false, he would not haue sent it for a truth in open tables, to all after times and prosperi­ties. Out of his Chronicle written in Italian, and Printed at Florence in the yeere 1478. this I translated into Latine, in the yeare of our Lord God 855. Iohn English, helde the High Priesthood two yeares, fiue months and foure daies. The Church was vacant for one month. He is not placed in the Catelogue of the Popes, because he was a woman: who in her nonage, of a certaine louer of hers, was brought to Athens, in the habite of a man, there in diuers studies and sciences, she escaped their knowledge and did prooue excellent. After when she came to Roome, shee ascended such a height of fame, that she was had in admiration with all men, whence it happened by concord & suffrage of the best, the supreame honour of a Pope was attributed vnto her. Which thing afterwardes betrayed it selfe to the world.

‘In her time in the Citty of Brixie, three dayes and three nights it rayned meruailously blood: and in Fraunce ap­peared monstrous Locusts, hauing sixe winges and sixe feete, and teeth very hard, flying through the ayre admira­bly, which after were all drowned and suffocate in the Sea of Britaine.’ From whence the carcases of them were beaten to the shoare, and did so corrupt the ayre, that a great part of the inhabitants there dyed. This Petrarch dy­ed in the yeare of our Sauiour Christ, 1374.

Iohn Bocace inwardest friend to Petrarch, both for his wit and for his similitude of study, and manners, an other he, doth rehearse this Ione, and describe her, first called Gilberta, as he saith in his booke of noble women, Chap. the 99. which in these words he concludeth. To detesta­tion of whose filthy whood, and contynuance of memory of her name, euen vnto this day, the chiefe Priestes of the Rogation, with the rest of the Clergie, and people going to doe Sacrifice, they abhorre that place of her child, borne [Page] in the middest of her iourney, and omitting it, they decline thorough by waies, and streetes, and so that detestable place spurned at, reentring home, they end theyr iourney which they began. There is also placed in a booke, to be seene, the picture and spectacle of the Child-birth of the Pontificall, with circumstances of Cardinals and Bishoppes, standing by, like Midwi [...]es or Nurses. That same booke of Bocaces making, is turned into the Ger­maine tongue, of a Phisition in the Citty of Vl [...]es, and Dedicated to the Dutchesse of Austria, in the yeare 1473. Imprinted in the same Cittie, with olde Caracters & rude, and with all the picture of her bringing foorth her childe. To this doe agree certaine rimes consonant in Italian, out of an olde hande written booke taken, whose tytle is, Historia de Do [...]ne Famose, and of famous Women.

Interpretation word for word.

Anthony Archbishop of Florence, in the second part of his history, to the narration of Ione, out of Martine the peni [...]entiary repeated, he weueth this same Webbe, saith there is a certaine signe of a marble Sculpture, in the way where this happened, placed there for a memoriall of the matter. And to the matter, hee proclaimeth as aRespr [...]p [...]ana non prucula phano. thing so wicked, so prophane: (yet not far from the Tem­ple) this saying of S. Paule, O altitud [...] [...]pientia & s [...]ientia Des, &c. As if our good God had procured and perfected this punishment, not as if that wicked fiend the Deuill, foule and abhominable, had been the sole author of it: yet the end hee saith if it were true (as graunting) yet to none is there any preiudice by this of Saluation, because neither the Church then, was without a head▪ which is Christ, &c. yet he speaketh doubtfully, (in a plaine case) least a blot so filthy to the Church (otherwise pure) should not appeare to be abhorred.

The standing Image of which he maketh mention, the Esauites doe suppose that it hath not the shape of the wo­man and her infant, but of some Priest with his boy going afore him to Sacrifice, least otherwise they should [...]a [...] no­thing to contradict it. The way that declyneth from the [Page] right way (as in all other matters) so in this, they doe take it to be the most commodious way for them to goe in pre­session, whereas we doe heare by others, that haue with contemplation curiously behelde both, say this way is more commodious and shorter then the other. But some thinke this monument of such dishonor, [...] in theMonumentum quasi. [...]. most memorable place of all others, is distroyed, abando­ned and vnbound, now and a good while agoe: to abolish or to deminish her fame, with vs the Heritiques and aduer­saries to the Church of Roome, that doe so play on stages, and stirre it vp in this our time. As with all the visage of this popit or little Pope, momit or little mome, in the Cit­ty of Seene in the primary, Church there made with a wo­mans face, with this inscription, Femina de Anglia. (But all English men defie her) and together with many other Popes, which are now a fewe yeeres past, eyther cald in, or remooued away as we heare.

William Iames Monke of Ecmondence neere to Alcma­ria, in a parchment booke now two hundred yeares past, as far as I can coniecture written, doth containe the liues of the Popes in meeter, such as were vsed in that time to be composed, too too curiously euen vnto obscurity, ther­in being obserued the number of Sillables, and the rithme, which such as they are, as touching this Ione accept I pray you.

This Poet heere saying, de qua breui [...]s dicta minus ledunt dooth insinuate that he himselfe is ashamed of this de­claration, and feares least some should bee offended with it, he adioyneth Ione to Sergius, after Leo the fourth was past.

In the Chronicle of Albert Abbot of Stade [...]s, which endeth in the yeere of our L. 1255. lately Printed at Hel­mestade, he is named Iohn the seauenth, and a little after Iohn the nynth, there being left out and omitted Ione the eyght. Otto Bishoppe of Frisingens, of equall ageFrisingens [...]. with Fredericke the first, in his first booke, in his Cate­logue of Popes, placed Iohn the woman in number the seauenth, as doth the Sculpture, and grauen Image at [Page] Seene in Tussis. Which diuersity and perturbation inSeene not farre from Rome a famous Citty which Breanus Captaine of the French built, for his olde sol­diers▪ and for his poor, Anno ante Christi aduentum 362 Author Pompo [...]s, Lib, 3. Chronicles, rise vp of this, because certaine of the Anty­quaries did altogether exclude this woman▪ others did con­clude and agree of her, but placed her in a spare place di­stant out of order, as the Author of Fasciculus Tempo­rum, the fardel of flowers hath, and as heere this Poet of theirs, doth intimate it was done.

But it is no more absurde, that such a Pontificall should confound the order of history, then that Pontifex puer pera, the woman Pope, with his Feminine name and nature shoulde disturbe all the Rules in Gram­mer.

In the antique Chronicles (Augustiano) written in Latine hand I red this. Furthermore not farre from that tempestious tyme of the yeare of our Sauiour Christ 855▪ there was at Roome a Pope Iohn the eyght, na­med (qui mulier) a hee woman, yea that filthy harlot Gilberta of Mens, ledde about in mans apparell: of a certaine Monke of the Monasterye of Fulda, both thorough Greece and Italie, a beast moste littered, I would say lettered, and moste learned, moste changea­ble and crafty, Camelion like; escaped out, and in­dued with a Pope-doome, inscaped in the Citty like­wise.

Raphaell Ualaterane in his Commentaries, Dedicated to the verie Pope Iulius the second, was not afeard to write thus of Iohn: Iohn Englishe whome they call a wo­man, in her desembling habite, otherwise most famous for learning, they say was ouertaken in the way, where shee brought foorth a Childe.

Now let vs produce Platina: who albeit hee had try­ed the cruelty, and seueritie of the Pope Paule the second towardes him: yet hee feared not to write of Ione vnto Sextus the fourth, which story now as vaine these pield fellowes doe reprooue, so farre were they from indyting [Page] or penning it, they durst not write a word of it: the which hee confesseth is taken out of Martine, and because they are induced before time, and recited as his, I will not repeate them nowe, to which hee subioyneth these. There are which obiect these two things. That the Pope when he should goe vnto the Princely Court of La­terane, Basilica [...] pro­perly a hall of iudgement, as Hesiod▪ intend­eth where the Iudges are cal­led [...] Doniuor [...]s Iu­dices Bud [...]s. for detestation of so foule a fact, doth decline from that way, of a set or consulted purpose: and for because he would shunne the sight of such an errour: whiles first he is placed in the seate of Peter, which is bored thorough with a round hole, that the secret parts may be handled of the last of all the Deacons there.

Touching the first of these obiections, I wil winke at it: for the second thus I thinke. That Seate to be prepared to this ende, that he that is constitute, and ordained in such a Magistrates place (for Magistracy wil soone shew what a man is) may know himselfe not to be a God, but to bee subiect to the necessities of nature: as for example, digesti­on and such like, whence the seate is called meritoriously A close stock, this that I haue said is commonly carried a­bout, but by vncertaine and obscure Authors, which I therefore instituted, to set downe briefly, and barely, least obstinately and frowardly, I should seeme to omit, that which almost all men affirme. Let vs erre therfore with the multitude, in this matter: albeit it may appeare that this that I haue said, is out of those things, which may be, by po­ssibility beleeued to be true. Hitherto Platina, whose latter words, whiles he saith fieri potuisse, do manifest why he said Erremus cum vulgo, least God wot, hee should offend his Lords in affirming the story directly. But the cause of the Popes declining the way, he confesseth to bee the young childe of the woman High-priest.

But for the vse of the Stercorary stoole which he saith is not conuenient, for such holines and diuine Pontificiality ô which y^e simple & foolish superstitious rout is of opinion [Page] that hee stooleth nothing but Ambrosia which hee eateth againe, to be conuerted wholy into the substance of his deified body, which vulgar so religious opinion of Gods Viccar made of earth: O it is by no meanes to be dimi­shed (no, no beware of that). Againe, if any necessities of humane nature remaining in him, were to be represented [...]ciolum [...]. by any right: ô it were more decent to doe it by a dishe of sweete meates, and by the receiuing of foode, then that that it should be done by egestion of the excrements. For by that Antecedent, this consequent would ensue, and come to light. That, He that doth eate, he must stooles so a­gaine, He that doth stoole, he must eate. Pl [...]ni [...] remembring (like the best remembrancer) of a story naturall to the Grashoppers, maketh them to haue no wicket, neyther for a Cricket to voide excrements by, he addeth with all, neyther mouth to eate foode by.

And when brother Robert the French Dominicane, in his booke of Visions, written 300. yeares since, doth report of this Throne to be seated in the Po [...]ch of the Pallace ofPorphyre stone is that we call Marble, or La­pis Numidicus of the Ro­maines, indeed a stone out of Numidium, so named of the colour be­cause it dooth [...] glit­ter like Rubish or Iron or the priuie stoole might be por­phyretica and perforata both euen as they report. Laterane, by which the Pope is tryed, whether he is a man and which he in an extasis or dreame, did beholde to be made of Porphyrie stone, such as others haue also exhibited vnto vs, haue seene it what it was: it is nothing likely that the Author of this common place of Aiax being Benedict the third, by whō he saith, it was placed there, should riot so insolently and impudently withal, that he would prepare an instrument so precious, (out of Numidia) and so splen­dent with all, to signifie so filthy a matter, to wit, the de­iectment of the belly. Therfore the Esouites haue cōmented (for what may not commentaries do?) vpon a more honest allegory of this Throne, and lesse vncleane: that is, they terme it an Aiax or S [...]ercorarie, because it doth admo­nish the new Pope sitting vpon it, that he is made of hu­mane dung out of low estate (being but poore Cardi­nals and Princes fellowes) out of humilitie vnto sublimity, [Page] out of minoritie to superioritie (as they speak) to be raised. And there vpon of the Cleargie compassed about to him, toO inexpected and intollera­ble blasphemie open to the world by Car­dinall Bellar­mine. him, all tongues and Organes resound out of the Psalme: He raiseth the poore out of the dust, and out of the dung he doth erect the begger that he may place him with the Princes (naye then aboue the Princes) of his people: VVe could admit the Commentarie & fiction, but that Stercus, Aiax, of whom forkes and scowpes and tumbrel [...], named dunke-finders, dung-fillers and dung-carters or carriers, are fitly deriued and called S [...]ercorarie & S [...]erquilinie, if of the earth it were called earthly, there were more tolleration, and a cleanlie similitude in the interpreter. VVherefore we do assent vn­to their sent, as the truer relators, who do affirme that it is a relatiue vsed, not vsurped, but made to trie the genitall partes. Yea and we are drawne vnto it (as we esteeme) by this argument, because oftentimes we haue heard in the Popedome, that the sacrificing sorte haue iested, and ter­med those manly parts (by the figure Antonomasia) pon­tificals (for they make a high priest) truelie of none other cause, but that by these rightes well knowne to them, inAb infimo Di­ [...]con [...] membrū attractatur. which the most infamous Deacon of the Cardinall, doth handle that part of the new Pope hanging thorowe the hole, and dooth handle them, exclaiming Habet: it were out of vse in times past this experiment to haue beene, by which they now approoue themselues, the roote of euill not to want, when as before their Priesthood they begat bastards, which done, those they had about them, some Cardinals▪ some Bishops, and called them the Sonnes of bro­thers and of sisters. This approbation of veritie Iohannes Pannonius Bishop of fiue Churches, dooth finely note in these verses.

[Page] Anthony Sabelicus dooth affirme almost as much as Pla­tina saith of loue in his ninth Enead, placing her as Frisin­gensis did number, the seuenth of her name.

Iacobus Philippus Bergonie, of the familie of the Her­mites, in his supplie of supplies of Chronicles, hath as tou­ching Ione, some things not differing from these that Mar­tine, Platina, and the rest do write: he saith, she trauailed with child publiquely, without a Midwife, and in the same place she dyed miserably with her child, and buryed there without any honor at all, in whose place, saith he, Benedict the third was chosen. This Booke is imprinted in Latine at Venice Anno 1503. and there also in Italian, in the yeare of our Lord God 1540.

The like things are red in Mathew Palmers continua­tion of Eusebius and Prosperus, which beginneth at the yeare 449. and endeth in the yeare 1471. The exemplarie was Printed at Basill 1549. neyther doe they differ from this, which of this Pope the Duke of Genua calde Baptista Fulgosus, of the same age that Palmer was of, noted in his Booke of Memorable sayings and deeds, set foorth at Basil in the yeare 1541.

Trithemius in his Chronicles of the Monasterie of Hir­saugia, in the life of Luitprando the first Abbot, after other things, he speaketh of Ione the high Priest. They say that she being of a certain familiar of hers▪ mpressed, brought foorth child in the open street. And for that many would not place her amongst the Popes, as it were abhorting the vnworthy fact.

Iohn Stella Priest of Venice, in his booke, the title wherof is, The liues of two hundred and thirtie of the highest Priestes, from blessed Peter the Apostle, euen vnto Iulius the fift of that name, and the Preface is to Dominic, Gri­mane, Cardinall there, and the same matters deliue­red which Philip of Bergonie handled, touching Ione the Pope.

[Page]I haue beheld a Historie booke ample and faire, and pre­cious too, set foorth at Norimberge in the yeare 1493. with Picture of Emperours and Popes, in which at the Narration of Ione the Woman Pope, was expressed the shape of the woman pontifically crowned, but for her Ro­chet pontificall, she had a garment woman-like vpon her shoulders, and for her triple Crosier and thrise crossed scep­ter, she had an Infant in her armes.

Naucleare Prepositer and Chauncelor of Fabinge in his great Historicall worke dooth report no otherwise of Ione the eyght, then is of these asore, then that which Martine and which Platina do intimate.

Valerius Anscimus in his Chronicle dedicated to them of Bernia. Ione the woman of Mens climing the pontificall seate, by her excellencie of manners and learning, left it by the infamie of her childbirth, and dyed.

Albertus Cranzius by his iudgement betwixt true & false, being a graue Historiographer, and Deane of Hanburgh, betwixt consenting & dissenting a Iudge, of all readers his monuments worthilie, are much attributed vnto. He in a Catalogue of the Priests, strictlie dooth note Ione in these words: Iohn English of Mens was a woman belying her owne sex, with an acute wit, with a prompt tongue, lear­nedly she could speake, in so much that she conuerted all mens mindes towards her, to the intent that she should ob­taine the pontificall seate onely, one seruant had secret in­telligence of her sexe, by himself made pregnant, compres­sed, it is said she brought forth at the Colossis, in the 2. yeare not expired of her raigne, in childe-birth she dyed.

Carthusiane the Author of the Fardell of times (as the wiser sorte doe iudge) not to bee contempned, placed Ione without the number of the Popes, with this de­scription. That Iohn English by Syr-name, but by birthe of Mens▪ is sayde to bee about those times, and she was a woman cloathed in habite of a man.

[Page]She did so proceed in diuine scripture [...], and profit withall, that none was found like vnto her, she was chosen to be Pope. But after being made pregnant with childe, when publiquely she should proceed in procession, she was deli­uered and dyed. And this seemeth to be the sixt Pope that had the name of sanctitie without any desert to this daye. And like others of them (obserue the veritie of this man) she was plagued & not placed in the Catalogue of Popes. Some trifle in this cause, that no Almaine should be cho­sen Pope, which appeareth to be false for Carthusiane the Monke dare say, yea that before Ione and before our age 800. yeares, there were wicked Popes, and well worthye the infamie of Ione. The same thing in this Esauiticall age a man, may say of Popes much more wicked then these were both Horrible, blaspheming, and heresie, worthye of fire and fagot.

Baptista Mantuanus in his third booke of Alphonsus and [...] discription of a place of Tartarus or hell maketh there Iohn the Pope hanging, an abhominable matter expressed in verie sweete verses.

And seineth her in the entrance of Tartarus in the first place of hell, as is fit for a Pope (before all other) which are there varioushe vexed, to hang with her adulterer and con­cubine, it is a maruell verilie that these falsaries do not re­late and bring into their damnation booke cald Thexpur­gatorie index. Mantuans workes also which are so many stomaching the defiled Popedome of zeale and godlie in­dignation. Her Ca [...]e [...]es may see her performe her purga­torie without all deliueri [...] as well she deserues to do.

Neither may I omit here a riche testimonie of Coelius [Page] Rodeginus, a man of infinite reading, whome it appeareth nothing laye hid from, that was conteyned in bookes, of whose integritie and grauitie in iudging, so much the lesse men may doubt, because euery where in his worke he be a­reth a godlye minde, speaking reuerently of our Sauiour Christ, which vertue to him and but a fewe more Italians, especially in this age is common. He in his foorth volume of Antiquarie lections, numbering learned women na­meth Ione, what saith he? doe not we know that in Chro­nicles it is resolued: that Ione English onely from the begin­ning of the world alone, in the forme of a man, durst in­uade the seat Pontificall of Rome, in the shape of a man, Yea verilie, and admit one of her familiars, who onely in­wardest, hit nayle on the head, knew the matter and the manner, was admitted vnto the bed and chamber, therfore vnto the bed chamber, and then shee with childe in the summe of dignitie and disdainfulnes, trauailed with child? This was done in the yeare of health, eight hundred, fiftie three. There is more fidelitie to be attributed to this man, yea and an Italian too, his testimonie, his affirmation more this matter, then to all the inficiation, all the deniall of the Esauites, which Parasites and hierlings will doe any thing to demerite the altar, and say any thing for their Lorde and maister.

The Chronicle of Iohn Lucidus begun from the begin­ning of the worlde, vnto the yeare of our Lorde 1536. produced. And from thence he being dead, it was in­creased by a certaine Monke vnto the yeare 1575. And dedicated vnto a certaine generall (as they call it:) an Abbot, dooth present verilye Iohn English in the forme of the Popes, but not in the number of them: saying, Iohn English a woman, raigned two yeares, fiue moneths, and foure dayes, shee is not put in the Cathalogue of the Popes, and therefore the seate was then voide, vntill the [Page] yeare of our Lorde 855. This Booke is Imprinted at Ve­nice in the yeare 1575.

Iohn Henald a Frenchman, of the state of the Church from the time of the Apostles vnder Nero, vnto Charles the fift Emperour (saith so of this Pope, as the rest of the Hi­stories, and addeth, that this is a true figure of that great spirituall fornication of the Romaine Popes. And after this the harlot daily more and more, did manifest her selfe, and greater was the iniquitie of this commaunding seate laide open.

In a Germaine Chronicle in written hand, out of ma­ny Authors gathered by Iames of the Kings court (Uon Konigs Holen) a Priest of Argentine, which beginneth God Almightie and euerlásting, &c. ending in the yeare 1456. in Eugenius the fourth it is read, folio 110. Ioannes von Mens was Pabst. &c. Iohn of Mens was a Pope two yeares and fiue moneths, she was a woman Pope, &c.

The Chronicle of Martin in Germany restored, re­teineth the very same altogether, which is in the Latine. The exemplarie hand writing that I haue seene, is absolute in the yeare 1429. distinguished, and lined with titles eue­rie where.

An other Germaine with greater letters set foorth at Augusta in the yeare 1487. saies. Iohn von Mens a [...] Rhein, &c. der wasein Weib, &c. Iohn of Mens vpon Reigne, was a woman: and it hath the verses, papa pater patrum, &c. repeated before. It is ended in Sixtus the fourth.

An other written at Constance with the proper language of the Heluetians, pertaining vnto the yeare 1400. saith, Ein Weib hiesse Ioannes von Mens was Bapst, &c. A woman called Iohn of Mens was Pope, who dyed with child-birthe, which a Cardinall got in the yeare of our Lord 855. Iahre.

[Page]And in another with somewhat greater Characters. Printed at Ulmes in the yeare 1486, there you may read Der Keyser Arnolphus (it seemeth it should be red Lo­tharius) when Casar or Emperour Arnolphus there was in that time a Pope that was a woman, & in the open streets of Rome there shee laide her yong one. This was such a shame to the Popes, that they shunne to come any more that waye. This Chronicle dooth ende in the ouer­running of Mens in the yeare 1462. There are many Annales of this same stuffing, which I omit to prefer vnto you.

I would alledge more fresh writers, some as Melanctbon, which is the author of Charions Chronicle, Robert Barnus, Peter Virete, Iohn Functius, Casper Hedion, of whom is cited Mall [...]lus Tigurinus, of equall age with the counsell of Basil, Peter Paulus Vergerius, sometimes Bishop of Iusti­nople (who in a peculiar libell to himselfe, painted foorth and described this childe birth) with Iohn Bal [...], and a whole Iurie of others, but that they are censured for Here­tiques of the Esauites and of aduerse partie to the pontifi­call dignitie, and therefore their testimonie in this busines is both suspect and reiect. Yet one of these new writers they cannot reiect, Pistorius Nid [...]nus late an Euangelist, now a pontifist, whom verilie I doe not thinke, though in religion he is a Buskin, or rather a shipmans hose, with like inconstancie he will denie a Historie, and that written by him long agoe, and set foorth: and me thinkes the Esa­uites should assent vnto him, being one of their owne flocke.

Amongst the writers of the Actes and Iestes, one hath escaped mee, The Compiler of the Anonymies, that is, without names, in whome this is read. There was likewise an other false Pope, whose name and yeares are not knowne, for shee was a woman, as the [Page] Romaines doe confesse, and of elegant fame and of great science, and in hypocrisie of wonderfull life: she vnder pretext of a mans habit, lurked, vntill she was chosen to be Pope, and in her Popehood conceiued with childe, and when she was great, the diuell in Consistorie court, pub­liquely before them all bewrayed the deede, exclaming Papa pater patrum▪ papissa pandite partum. To these aboue mencioned, and the like, or to the very same, their owne Isengrine dooth mention of this Pope, in his Chronicle of two Languages, euen in the kingdome of the Esauites, set foorth with Grace and priuiledge of the Caesars Maie­stie, in the yeare of the Lorde 1564 whom their familiar friend, with what cauilations, or with what foyson or co­lour they could refute, saluing his estimation and honour, that he might not be offended (if he were liuing) they should perceiue it well enough.

Now therefore the verdit followeth: Let indifferent readers and arbitrators giue sentence. Whether of so ma­nie Histories, by so many worldes continued and consen­ted, we must beleeue the affirmatiue of them, or the in­fection and negatiue of a few Freshmen, hyred as it ap­peareth therevnto, and whose profession it is by all wayes and meanes, with all force and pollicie, where the ponti­ficall dignitie lyeth ouerthrowne, to raise it vp, where it is readie to flide (that is euery where) to vnderprop it, and for the most parte (Gentle Gentlemen) those whome I haue induced were Historians, Priests, Monkes, or other­wise sworne to the Pope, or bound to him. Yet notwith­standing, looke what was comelie for a storie, they re­membred, which of their Auncestors rather they heard, or of theyr superiours in Bookes worthy of note and re­membrance, and fit for all posteritie, they thought well of, that they brought into their bookes and volumes of grea­test account and authoritie without all respect of persons, [Page] nothing then fearing the offence of the potentate, who (it may be thought) was nothing offended with this verity. No man euer before this time did deny this history, no man tooke it greeuously, no man contradicted it, no man call it in question, it being Dedicated to the very Popes themselues to the Cardinals, to the Abbots, by the Authors of this story. And these for the most part were Italians, neighbours to the great Pope, and therefore more worthy of our beleefe in this, for that they might sooner and easier get notice of these matters, then other strangers, both by the relation and report of theyr seniors, as also by the Ly­braries neare at hand.

We haue shewed you before, that Martine was not the first Preacher that bewrayed so bad a cause, and betraied so good a one, as this (God wot) is. But if he were, shold ther­fore it be thought fained or vncertaine? By such an Enthy­ [...]a, or by the like Silogisme, this might bee concluded. Herodotus doth first commemora [...]e the warre betwixt Ci­rus and Cr [...]sus, Ergo it is a fiction. Sweto [...]i [...]s first doth vtter the portent and hideou [...] (not hidden) wickednes of Nero, Ergo they are not to be beleeued.

Before Moses time, the horrible Sodomits sinned, sha­med, and punished, was not extant nor described; who af­ter foure hundred yeares, at last was commaunded to wri­ting, is it therefore a doubtfull matter? Certes by this meanes, detraction and back-calling, of most matters done before our memory, which out of writers and monuments of olde we learne, may shamefully be vsed, then nothing certain [...], but what our owne memory holdeth, shall euer come to light.

O you Esauites doe you arrogate vnto your selues such sagacity, such intelligence, so confident, so impudent areO [...]ane à tergo quem nulla Ciconia pinsit. you, dare you peck out y^e eyes of Ianus, the eyes of the Cor­nix, whom no Ciconia, no Crane dare peepe at, as the pro­uerbe saith▪ What thinke you▪ Petrarch, Bocace, and such [Page] like, were so dull of eye sight, theyr noses bitten off, that betwixt a similitude and a truth, and a fablement, they wanted skil to discerne, so light and vaine▪ that they would set open to all after times, things that should seeme to carry forme and shape of lyes.

Will you alone, nay dare you argue of falshood and re­prooue of lying, so many Bishops, Princes, so many Aca­diemes, so many Citties, and their Libraries, in al which, this story is red? You obiect that for the most part they, those Authors, doe speake doubtfully▪ referring ouer the matter to a dubitation, Aiunt, Fe [...]tur, Scribitur, Aseritur. Are not men wont to say so, especially of things very strange, vnex­pected, vnhoped for, prodigious, and detestable? Which they did for this cause, (no doubt) that they might shewe themselues wishing, and willing well, that no such error, such contumelye, should be fall the Capital of Rome, the head Church vpon the earth, & to the sanctified holy, and holy sanctified counsell thereof.

Onuphrius they oppose against it, as if y^e Authority of such a Monke, and fellow seruant vnto you, of that Priesthood, especially in that tempest (betwixt vs) in which your owne & your companions, fraud of olde, your wickednes, your heinousnes, is detected, is chanted alowde, were of force to refel, and oppresse, so inueterate integrity of religious men, so consonant tradition of others. You oppose likewise A­uentine, who coniectureth that the matter was otherwise. This man was graue & historical and nothing vaine, yet of him more suspicion may be made, thathe in fauor of Ma­thew Langius Archbishop of Saltzburgh, Cardinal & legate of the Apostolick seate his great Maecenas diuerted the in­tent of this story to an end contrary then ought, especially in that time, whē as then the Pontifical kingdom began to fauor like carion, cōtemptible & spewed out of Germany, for which cause, & for defence of it, & to deck & trim vp a­gaine the buried corps of Popery, Cardinall Langius was [Page] sent as Legate. But what should I now so long stand, what matter of worth, is it in this prolixity of words, shewing & conuincing, that Iohn the 8 Pope was a woman, & a broo­dy woman too? Verily this efficient cause. That I may giue document of study, & teach the cominalty of the windines & wafer learning of the Esauites, hyred, instructed & Em­prested forth to conserue, with instauration the Pontifical authority & tyrany chiefly, now swaying (or swagering as they nick-name it) in Germany, heare vnto which one & onely end al their poisoned rumors (and all Sophistication) all their minstrill-like diligence, histrion-like labours in Churches and schooles doth respect, belong and tend: see­ing so confessed and manifested verity, with so many testi­monies confirmed, they labor to pluck vp by the rootes, to euert and peruert, where they esteeme any faith remaineth for them, or any credite in the matters of religion, in which busines of Christian health, they chalenge the Magistracy to belong chiefly to them.

Verily they haue rased out of all books which so many euery where in Libraries were found, & haue blotted out of the minds & memory of man, this Pontificall vncomelies and shame, this opprobrious euent, videlicet. That the soci­etyes and sages of the Catholique Church of Rome de­ceiued once (& neuer but once) of their spirit so holy, chose a high Priest of the feminine gender insteed of the Mascu­line. O but how wil they excuse & abolish other errors of their holy of holiesito wit, vnhallowed errors, yea & in vo­luntary cases, wherein they elected improbous, vnchast, in­cestious, impure, credulous & incredulous Popes, replenish ed & fulfilled withal the genders of wickednes, all the spe­cies of holines, insteed of chaste, and milde, and holy, and good Popes? Sergi [...]s for one he did so rauinously inrage, (with Salomons shrewd passion, anger) the bird y^t oftē light­eth on, but should be kept from building in the tree, that he hated his Decessor Formosus, whose competitor & Emulus [Page] he had once bin for the Papall attire and dignity, being in his grace, (the mansion house of the dead) which the Ciuill law doth neuer alowe so to open, he drew him foorth of his Sepulcher, in which he had slept eyght yeares, beheaded him, dismembred him, and so cast the headles trunke into the riuer of Tibris.

Iohn the 13. was slaine taken in adultery without the Citty, by the husband of the adultresse out of hand, in the tenth yeere of his raigne, in the yeare of our Sauiour Christ, 964. Siluester the second, mighty and execrable, had a fa­miliar Diuel in a Brasen mans head from whom hee had answeres, and at length when he was missifying, saying Masse in the Vestry, a place calde Ierusalem, with a present Feauer, he dyed.

Hildebrand, that Firebrand (which is Gregory the sea­uenth) whose Pontificall vertues, Cardinall Benno, who was his inspector, and arbitrator of his iestes, and Ane [...]tine likewise doe Preach of, how great he was in magicke, how many Popes before him he did to death, what bloody and capitall hatreds hee exercised against Henrie the fourth, whose life both for this life (and otherwise besides) he laide traines enough for. The Emperor was commorant at Rome a while, with his Empresse, where in the Church he vsed to be at their holy exercise, and there to pray, and vppon a beame ouer him, this holy Father commanded great stones to be placed, and so to be cast downe sodainly vpon him at prayer. Whiles the minister of this wickednes was on the beame ouer laden with stones, and the burden great, the beame brake, and so he fell downe with it, and was cru­shed to peeces.

This immane disturber of the Germaine Empire. Hil­debrand, who came in like a Lyon raigned like a Fox, and dyed lyke a dog, as all the true historiographers do resolue of him.

Alexander the sixt, a Spaniard, his elogies are celebra­ted [Page] of Guichardine (Leiuetenant to the Pope) and amongst o­ther things, with what loue he embraced his owne daugh­ter, and his two sonnes, euen that he was vsed to incest the daughter himselfe, drawne from her husband, to whom he had married her before, and had his two sonnes his riuals, both wittingly and willingly (horrible to be spoken). And how that one brother slew the other in the night (worse thē the Catelnies did, for their murder was not incestious) & that because both in their lusts, as with all in other man­ners, the one had prelacy and superiority aboue the other, being thus slaine, the Father fished for him that was cast into Tibris, this only way of fishing shewing himselfe and none other deuise, like vnto a fisher for men. He dyed by a draft of poysoned wine, which was prouided for certaine Cardinals to take them away from amongst men, in a Gar­den Banket in a Bower, the poyson was giuen to him by one that waited, the flagons being changed by error of the seruant that attended.

Paule the third whose name before the Priesthood was Alexander Fernesius, how horrible and libidinous, whore­domes, incestes, murder of parents, witchcraftes, proditious and betraying of men, are well remembred of him? These and others like to these, with many, euery where in the acts of your Popes are read, and shall for euer be read, how many expurgatory index soeuer you make, wherein you would perswade that they are false, euen now at last to ap­prooue the explete & sanctified innocensie on euery side, and the sanctity of Hierarchie. Conuince you therefore of like falsity, the Authors of the History of Ione the Pon­tificall.

Laurentius Valla no stranger, but borne in the Citty of Rome a Canon, his reprehension of Popes of his time as li­berall, so true and very true, that if you deny it, yet we and many other, neyther haue doubted nor euer will doubt. I say, (quoth he) and I exclaime (neither will I feare men be­ing [Page] accustomed with God) not one in my time, in the Pope-doome, was eyther faithfull dispensator of the miste­ries, or wise, who are so farre from giuing bread, that they giue a baite vnto the familie of God. The Pope himselfe, now wars is pacified, doth bring in warre vpon his owne people, and soweth discord betwixt the Citties and the Princes. The Pope both thirsteth after other mens goods, and suppeth vp his owne treasures. The Pope maketh pro­fit, not onely of the common wealth, but also of the Eccle­siasticall wealth, and selleth the holy Ghost. And when he is warned of this, he denieth it not, but openly confes­seth it, and glorieth in it, that it is so lawfull for him, vpon any reason to make sale of the patrimony of the Church, endued and giuen him by Constantine, to wrest it from any the occupiants of it. As if it would come to passe that it so being vsed, the Christian religion, would thereby become more blessed by it, and not rather as it is more cursed with all wickednes, luxuriousnes & libidious­nes oppressed, if possibly it may be more oppressed, and if any farther place of misery be remaining. Thus Ualla fear­ed not out of a Godly stomacke, all perill neglected to ex­probate the papacy, to hit thē in the teeth in his time, now 1140. yeares ago, so vncorrected euer since▪ that dayly it is made worse and worse, and worse is like to be.

Reprooue if you can, that which Io [...]niane Pontane a man of your religion, but otherwise verily, more simple, & more sincere in his writings of Popes and Cardinals then you are, hee writ a Dialogue of Charon & Mercurie, if per­haps you haue not the book at hand, thus it followeth.

Charon. I pray you do not the Popes & Priestes thēselues meete with this wickednes? albeit of all number and sorts, and orders of creatures, where daily I am carried about, I see no men of worse note, and marked with such filthy markes. Mercurie. Indeede no men are lesse carefull for true religion, because they are as such who are carefull [Page] and whose endeuor it is, to amplyfie their priuate wealth to heape vp monie, and in feeding their carcases, to be well occupied, and yet whereas too too wretchedly they are couetous, yet no men eate more daintilye, nor clothe themselues more wantonlie then they do. Of late a priest a Cardinall sent his Cator to buie a Woolfe fish, or a Pike, and because he spared the money it being deare, for the price was three score crownes. O with what reproche did he reuile him, and had almost forbidden him his house as a seruant nothing carefull of his maisters life. And Charon, that you should not mistake me, they terme that life now, which heretofore was called death, the appetite. An other priest also of the same Colledge dying, bequeathed vnto aExoleto. They are men that haue bin wan­ton boyes and are growne out of vse, by reasō of age, of which kind not a few these [...] [...] (for so the Syrians terme their princes, as the Sunne rising they make their God, and the Papists doe call their Pope a God, D. deum nostrum papū) these are ment by Pontanus heare. But ô were they now serued, which flow so out of kinde euery where, as Alexander Seuerus plagued them whom his predicessor Hielogabalus kept, hee sent them all to shipwracke to the Ilands. Read Cicero pro Milone, and Herodian lib. 5. Clodius vt secum, semper scorta, semper exoletos, semper lupas ducebat, filthye wanton Boyes, and greedie Shee wolues, that is, Common whores. * Minion of his, thirtie thousand crownes. Char. O would I wanted eare [...], rather then to heare these things! shall any mortall men suffer such wickednesse to passe, and cannot punish it? in superstition are they holden, &c.

Confute if you can the dialogue of Erasmus & H [...]t [...]en, so noble, so notable, in writing, depainting out the man­ners of your Iulius the second, and such actes: that when he was dead, the gates of Heauen, which with his owne keyes he was wonte to set open vnto other men at a price for money, he could not vnlocke for himselfe, and Peter would not open them to him when hee knocked, that he might go to hell beneath with his company, and his whole court of guarde being excluded.

Refell if you can these (or expurge) with true arguments and reasons) the actes of these high Priests repugnant vnto the actes (God it knowes) of the Apostles, as one end of the diameter is vnto the other, the Axeltree of the world the East vnto the Weast, which are of Iohn Bale of England [Page] set foorth, all which a Christian man, yea an Ethnick onely wel mannerd, would feare to here them read. Such a sinke of wickednes, and for the most part of Popes, thence from Iohns trauaile with childe, vnto this our age is to bee felt. If such like you indeuour to purge, what else do you seeke, but to wash a Negro to be white? Seace you therefore frō hence foorth to cast a miste before mens eyes, and to sell smoake for fire in such a world fit for Argus many eyes, as this. Leaue off, leaue off, to stuffe with strawe, and deck vp your throne of Antichrist any more in vaine, vnlesse your selues meane to inioye such flatterie: by such deuises and aduises, you would perceiue, receiue, and take more ea­silie from your Patrons, the commodities of this present life, feelinglie, being honored with the opinion of sancti­monie of your disciples, boyes and yong men, and of the fatuate common people, indeed many of them being Mi­das riche, whom your adulatorie ould songes do please. All which, if you deeme them more acceptable then Christian veritie, sinceritie, and blessednes: holde on, hold on, to lie, laugh, flatter, and face, to simulate and dissemble, to playe the Historions, to abuse religion vnto cursed fraude, vntill ye trie at last that God will not be deluded, if happely you will differ in this one and in all, from your Coryphaus, and from his purple mantle crew, to thinke there is a God, who bringeth all humaine soules vnto the vniuersall iudgement after this mortall life. To him be all honor and glorie both now and euer,

Amen.